Sustainable Architecture 101: Introduction

Sustainable, ‘green’ design seems to be on everyone’s lips these days.

But what exactly does sustainability mean when applied to residential architecture and design?

This article is an introduction to a series that will bring together all the foundational elements necessary for true Sustainable Architecture.

Sustainable Architecture 101: Introduction

The concept of sustainable development first appeared in the Brundtland Report (1987) that defined it as:

“…development which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

In the context of residential architecture, we believe this definition is best fulfilled through the discipline of Passive Solar Design.

Passive Solar Design aims to maintain interior thermal comfort and to reduce the need of mechanical heating or cooling by allowing the structure of the home itself to collect, store and redistribute heat.

Good Passive Solar Design can result in a house requiring zero energy usage from the electricity grid and in exceptional cases, may even result in excess energy being contributed to the grid.

Sustainable Architecture: The 7 Pillars

The 7 Pillars of Sustainable Architecture are the foundations of Passive Solar Design.

All 7 of the Pillars are necessary and work together – if one element is misapplied it can jeopardize the energy performance of the entire building.

These Pillars apply regardless of whether one is building a townhouse in Melbourne or an apartment block in Alaska.

A brief description of each of the 7 Sustainable Architecture Pillars can be found below.

Sustainable Architecture Pillar 1: Thermal Comfort

Why are some houses always uncomfortably cold even with a heater turned on?

Human thermal comfort describes the state of mind that expresses satisfaction with the surrounding environment and refers to several conditions in which people feel comfortable and is the goal of good Passive Solar Design.

This article will discuss the factors that affect thermal comfort including convection, conduction, radiation and evaporative heat loss.

Read more about Sustainable Architecture Pillar 1: Thermal Comfort

Sustainable Architecture Pillar 2: Solar Access

Why do some houses ‘feel’ airy, light and spacious?

The siting and orientation of a building is essential to achieving good solar access and hence good energy efficiency.

This article will discuss how a house needs to be designed in order to respond to its specific site conditions so that it can maximize free solar energy, thus saving energy otherwise needed for heating and cooling.

Sustainable Architecture Pillar 6: Thermal Bridges + Air Leakage

When is ventilation good and when is it bad?

This article will discuss how ventilation, thermal bridges and air leakages contribute to the ability of a building to effectively save energy minimising the need of supplementary mechanical cooling and heating aids.